Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Dear Transit Supporter,

When we first launched our campaign, we told Dan Onorato and our state legislators that this was just the beginning and that our campaign would grow as it continues to work in opposition to the cuts.

Our April 27 rally proved that. At our first action, we had 100 people and 12,000 petition signatures. This time we had over 200 people and 20,000 petition signatures. But unfortunately, our efforts have not yet been effetive in getting Dan Onorato to oppose the cuts. This campaign must be lead by the riders, and we will need hundreds and thousands more to take action in order to turn Dan and our state legislators around.

Click on the link below for tv coverage of our rally and of Dan addressing the crowd:

http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_117155502.html

We are planning a number of events in the coming weeks, including joining with our allies from across the state for more rallies with follow-up visits to our state legislators at their home offices, and for trips to Harrisburg to lobby them at the state capitol. We will keep in touch with you to invite you to participate in those activities.

Your work circulating petitions, recruiting others to join our campaign, and attending public actions has produced partial victories by getting Port Authority to revise their service cut proposal and by keeping the heat on our elected officials to produce funding. These successes demonstrate our ability to succeed when we work together, but they also demonstrate that our campaign must grow bigger and stronger in order to save public transit.

Paul Lodico, Campaign Coordinator

I heard Dan speak to the audience after the rally ended. He doesn't get it. He is using the same game plan that Mayor Tom Murphy used. Onorato, like ex-Mayor Murphy, is playing a game of political chicken. He is huffing. He is puffing. He is cutting. He is intent on making a mess. He is using a buzz saw to fix something that hasn't been watched for years. There are not real solutions. There is not real cause for hope. There is only a grasp at grabbing more money from other people's pockets.